minimum thrust power

[stryker2279]

So I've been reading a tad on rockets, and I thought that the way rocket engines in game are able to have a full throttle range of 0% to 100% to be a little cheaty; for instance, the falcon 9 first stage engines only have a throttle range of 70% to 100%. So, my idea is to add this limitation to the stock engines with variability, which would further balance parts, such as the lvt 30 and lvt 45. The 45 has a higher mass and lower thrust, with only gimbaling to show. In this example, the 30 would have a minimum of 90%, while the 45 has a value somewhere in the range of 50-70%. This makes the 45 an engine for precision, while the 30 is just raw power. That way you have better precision with some engines at maneuver nodes, as well as having more power control where it counts, like terminal velocity or landing, than others. You would still be able to turn an engine off, but once you relight, it *no pun intended* will take off to its minimum thrust value. I haven't the slightest clue how to make a mod, and the tutorials leave me clueless, so I think it would be better for someone else to carry a project like his out.

[Master Tao]

Shh! Don't tell anyone. It's already in the game.

In ModuleEngines in the part config, you'd want to edit the minThrust parameter. For the LV-T30, you could change the minimum thrust to 100 kN:

MODULE{
    name = ModuleEngines
    thrustVectorTransformName = thrustTransform
    exhaustDamage = True
    ignitionThreshold = 0.1
    minThrust = 100
    maxThrust = 215
    ...

I'd recommend using a Module Manager config to avoid making changes to the existing files, like this:

@PART[liquidEngine]
{
    @MODULE[ModuleEngines]
    {
        @minThrust = 100
    }
}

[pizzaoverhead]

For a related mod, check out Engine Ignitor. It limits the number of times engines can be restarted. It still works for 0.90.

[Starwhip]

Doesn't that make them constantly thrust, though?

[stryker2279]

You know, I was a little suspicious of those lines in the engines.

The only issue is that I don't think that would allow for a "shutoff" of the engines, plus you would run into the issue of nonstick engines. The idea behind percentages was so that if you didn't have a MM config for that specific engine, the proposed mod would set a value of something like 70% for foreign engines, with the option of a modded to make their mod balanced

- - - Updated - - -

For a related mod, check out Engine Ignitor. It limits the number of times engines can be restarted. It still works for 0.90.

I do want that mod, gonna add it to my game, as well as a part failurs mod like dangit!

Doesn't that make them constantly thrust, though?

That's what my concern was, when I get home I'll test it out for sure!

Edited February 10, 2015 by stryker2279
Accidentally hit post halfway through the comment ;)

[Mecripp]

You know, I was a little suspicious of those lines in the engines.

The only issue is that I don't think that would allow for a "shutoff" of the engines, plus you would run into the issue of nonstick engines. The idea behind percentages was so that if you didn't have a MM config for that specific engine, the proposed mod would set a value of something like 70% for foreign engines, with the option of a modded to make their mod balanced

You should be able to turn it off

EDIT- LOL ( Doesn't that make them constantly thrust, though? ) yes and, I like the rest must be misreading his post (That's what my concern was, when I get home I'll test it out for sure! ) because how, I read it his is back stepping now it'nt that what you want is the thrust at like 70% to 100 % range after you start it ?

Edited February 10, 2015 by Mecripp2

[stryker2279]

You would still be able to turn an engine off, but once you relight, it *no pun intended* will take off to its minimum thrust value.

Actually I did mention shutoff-ability, although I'll admit it was buried. But yes, mecripp, once started it goes to some minimum thrust value, but when you press the x key for example, it turns the engine off, like no thrust off. Kind of similar to how the Merlin 1d on the falcon 9 functions. If you are unfamiliar, with how it operates I highly suggest reading about these engines on spacex's website.

[Starwaster]

Yes, setting minThrust still allows for the engine to be shut off.

As long as throttleLocked is not present and True then the rocket can be throttled within its min/max range and shut off.

If throttleLocked is present and True then it fires at maximum thrust until fuel is depleted.

(throttleLocked + allowShutdown is how SRBs are implemented via the configs)

[NathanKell]

There's quite a few bugs with minThrust, though, which I reported back when .23.5 was released. RF has to work around them.

[stryker2279]

Wow, I somehow managed to get some pretty big modding guns on deck! Frankly I'm surprised so many people responded so quickly! So, if min thrust is buggy, do you guys think that a percentage based system independent of squads coding might be better? Cuz if so, then there is nothing I can do but watch as someone else makes this idea happen. If min thrust is workable then I'll have to try to learn how to make MM config files, which is much more manageable I think than learning how to code from scratch.

[NathanKell]

Min thrust has two downsides:

1. You can't turn an engine off by thottling down. This breaks all autopilots. Further, once an engine has been enabled and then disabled, it breaks deltaV displays (because the engine is no longer enabled-but-unstaged, but now not-enabled, so it's ignored).

2. There are FX issues. IIRC (it's been a while) if using ModuleEngine, the FX will not turn off when you disable the engine (ouch). If using ModuleEnginesFX, the FX will scale based on throttle position, not thrust output.